Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council (21 004 193)
Statement Upheld Council tax 03-Apr-2022
Summary: Mr X complains the Council obtained a council tax liability order without sending him a payment demand. The Ombudsman finds the Council followed the correct procedures for collection. It will apologise to Mr X for not spelling his name correctly on its online system. The Council has already agreed to cancel enforcement costs which is an adequate financial remedy to reflect the avoidable inconvenience.
London Borough of Haringey (21 018 249)
Statement Upheld Council tax 30-Mar-2022
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X's complaint that the Council wrongly stopped taking his council tax payments in 2021 causing arrears. The Council has resolved the complaint appropriately by explaining what went wrong, apologising for its error, and offering to spread the arrears over this financial year.
London Borough of Croydon (21 009 512)
Statement Upheld Council tax 29-Mar-2022
Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council using her old address when recovering unpaid council tax. We found the Council at fault in continuing to use the old address although its council tax correspondence was 'returned to sender'. Use of the old address led to added recovery costs on the council tax debt, which Mrs X had to pay. To put matters right the Council agreed to refund the council tax recovery costs of £495.50 to Mrs X.
London Borough of Merton (21 005 278)
Statement Upheld Council tax 27-Mar-2022
Summary: Miss J complains about how the Council has dealt with her council tax support award. She says the amount it paid her was wrong. And it confused matters by changing an earlier discretionary decision to write off an overpayment. The Ombudsman's decision is we will not look at whether the amount of council tax support was correct, as Miss J can appeal that issue. But we have upheld the complaint, as the Council's administrative error led it to errors on Miss J's council tax support account, that it then took some time to rectify.
Herefordshire Council (21 017 547)
Statement Upheld Council tax 27-Mar-2022
Summary: Ms X complains about errors made by the Council to her council tax account. We will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied.
Sunderland City Council (21 010 040)
Statement Upheld Council tax 24-Mar-2022
Summary: We will not investigate this council tax complaint regarding the removal of a discount and subsequent refund. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault regarding the discount and because the Council has provided a fair remedy in relation to the refund. The complainant's request for information is a matter for the Information Commissioner.
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (21 010 196)
Statement Upheld Council tax 23-Mar-2022
Summary: Ms X complains the Council passed her debt recovery on to Enforcement Agents (bailiffs) prematurely. She complains the bailiffs were aggressive and rude towards her even though she was vulnerable and suffering with the effects of long Covid. This caused her distress. We find fault with the bailiffs for a phone conversation they had with Ms X. They have apologised and no further remedy is necessary.
London Borough of Havering (21 016 790)
Statement Upheld Council tax 21-Mar-2022
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about errors by the Council in the handling of the complainant's council tax. This is because the Council has offered a satisfactory remedy.
London Borough of Barnet (21 016 834)
Statement Upheld Council tax 08-Mar-2022
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax. The Council has agreed to take further action to remedy the injustice caused to Mr X, and we are satisfied with the action it intends to take.
Central Bedfordshire Council (21 016 480)
Statement Upheld Council tax 07-Mar-2022
Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council sent him council tax bills. We will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied.